Knowell Desmond (right) and Zaire Smith are both charged with murder in the killing of Rasheen Jones on East Stuyvesant Avenue on July 23.Mercer County Prosecutor's Office

TRENTON — One of two Trenton men suspected of killing a city barber in July has implicated the other in the crime, a prosecutor said yesterday.

Knowell Desmond, 21, told police that his alleged accomplice, Zaire Smith, 18, shot Rasheen Jones during a robbery in the West Ward on July 23, Assistant Prosecutor Jim Scott said during a bail hearing for Smith yesterday morning.

Smith admitted to being in the area of the shooting but denied being the shooter, Scott said.

Jones, a 31-year-old barber and father of two, entered a store on Prospect Street and Smith and Desmond followed him in, Scott said. Jones appears to have been with another person at the time, the prosecutor said.

Scott said Smith appeared to have been guarding the door while Desmond tailed Jones, based on surveillance video and witness accounts.

Jones left the store and began heading down East Stuyvesant Avenue, and Smith and Desmond ran after him, Scott said. According to an eyewitness, when Smith and Desmond reached Jones and the person he was with, Desmond pulled out a gun, Scott said. Smith may have been robbing Jones while Desmond robbed the other person, Scott said.

“Then Desmond hands the gun off to Smith and Smith shoots Jones in the head,” Scott said.

Jones died shortly after, police said.

Jones, who worked at Mason’s barber shop on Pennington Avenue, was remembered as a loving father by his co-workers. They said previously that he had just gone out to purchase toilet paper for the home he shared with his girlfriend when he was killed.

Smith and Desmond face charges of murder, felony murder, robbery and weapons possession. Smith’s bail was maintained at $1 million by Superior Court Judge Gerald Council yesterday. Desmond also is being held on $1 million bail.

Smith was arrested by the U.S. Marshals NY/NJ Regional Fugitive Task Force in Trenton on Aug. 22 and Desmond was arrested eight days later in Lindenwold by the task force, police said.

Much of the investigation into Jones’ murder was conducted by Detective Edgar Rios before he was wounded during a shooting in the line of duty Aug. 15.